🔗 Share this article

Inspired by an acclaimed NYC restaurant, this groundbreaking technique converts often-discarded external lettuce leaves into an luxurious herbaceous “mayonnaise”. This is a smart way to cut down on kitchen waste while producing something tasty and versatile.

The Reason Use Outer Lettuce Leaves?

These external leaves are the plant’s protective wrapping, guarding the delicate inner leaves. While recycling vegetable scraps is one basic sustainable habit, discovering new uses for them is additionally beneficial. Converting surplus ingredients into rich compost avoids dump buildup, where it may release greenhouse gases, a powerful environmental concern.

This is rather radical when you think over it: food rots and transforms into the perfect soil to nourish more crops, thereby closing the loop and respecting nature’s cycle of growth.

Yet, given more than thirty percent extra food being made than required, using precious ingredients wisely is crucial. Minimizing leftovers not only conserves cash but also promotes a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

The Herb-Infused “Mayonnaise” Method

The versatile recipe functions with any variety of lettuce and nuts. Through using one entire egg, you eliminate the need to repurpose the extra egg white. This result is an smooth, nutty sauce that works perfectly with greens, grilled vegetables, seared chicken, pasta, or rice.

Yields two

To Make the Herb “Mayonnaise” (Makes about 200 grams)

• 100g butter
• 50 grams external salad greens of 2 little gems, rinsed and dried
• 20g shelled salted pistachios – light-colored nuts such as blanched almonds help keep the vivid color, but any nuts will work
• 1 small whole egg

For the Side

• Two little gem lettuces, halved longwise
• Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• Fresh lime juice or white-wine vinegar, as desired
• 1 small bunch fresh herbs (like parsley), leaves picked intact, stalks thinly chopped

Instructions

First making the emulsion. Heat the butter in one medium saucepan, toss in the external lettuce leaves, place a lid and wilt for approximately 60 seconds, stirring once or twice, till they have wilted. Transfer this mixture into the jug of an stick processor, add the nuts and egg, then process till smooth. As necessary, add extra nuts to achieve the mayonnaise-like consistency. Keep in an sealed jar in the fridge for as long as three days.

To assemble the salad, sprinkle each lettuce portion with olive oil and acid, then season generously. Coat with a zigzag pattern of the herb mayonnaise, then scatter with the herbs. Place on two plates and serve immediately.